OlSlv 


dm  sted , Vaux  Co.,  Mew  York 

' ' i ' W •.  ■ v _ 

Report  accompanying 

p\an  for  ...  Soufo  park . 





■■K 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


CHICAGO  SOUTH  PARK  COMMISSION 


REPORT 

ACCOMPANYING  PLAN  FOR  LAYING  OUT 

THE 

SOUTH  PARK 


OLMSTED,  VAUX  & CO. 

Landscape  Architects 


' ' 

Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/reportaccompanyiOOsout 


vvv  \ 


|Q  'l  n 


REPORT 


To  the  Chicago  South  Park  Commission: 

Gentlemen:  We  present  for  consideration  at  this  time  a de- 

sign, prepared  under  your  instructions,  for  laying  out  the  three 
tracts  of  land  which  are  comprised  under  the  title  of  the  South 
Park,  and  before  proceeding  to  describe  the  special  features  of 
our  plan,  we  wish  to  draw  your  attention  to  the  leading  consid- 
erations which  have  determined  its  general  character. 

There  are  two  broad  types  of  public  parks,  by  reference  to 
which  the  discussion  of  a plan  may  be  most  readily  opened. 
Richmond  Park  is,  for  instance,  a very  useful  adjunct  of  the 
park  system  of  London,  and  Fontainebleau  of  that  of  Paris,  but 
both  are  useful  in  a quite  different  way  from  St.  James's  or  the 
Parc  de  Monceau;  the  first  being  great  roaming  grounds,  to 
which  people  go  out  by  railway,  generally  spending  a day  in  the 
excursion;  the  other,  garden-like  enclosures  into  which  people 
are  constantly  strolling  in  great  numbers  for  a short  diversion 
from  the  ordinary  occupations  of  the  day. 

Your  territory  lies  at  the  distance  of  six  miles  from  the 
center  of  business  of  Chicago,  and  quite  beyond  its  corporate 
limits.  Its  neighborhood  is  mainly  an  uncultivated  country, 
much  of  it  unenclosed  and  sparsely  inhabited — the  thousand 
acres  of  the  park  site  having  included  not  more  than  a dozen 
small  dwellings. 


4 


Under  these  circumstances,  it  may  be  thought  that  the  part 
to  be  formed  upon  it  will  not  be  much  used  by  the  citizens 
of  Chicago,  except  as  a distant  suburban  excursion  ground. 
The  population  of  the  city  might  indeed  be  doubled  several 
times,  and  if  it  should  be  built  as  compactly  as  most  great 
towns  hitherto  have  been,  and  the  advance  of  building  should 
spread  equally  to  the  North,  South  and  West,  the  South  Park 
would,  undoubtedly,  still  be  in  the  midst  of  a rural  district. 

Against  any  such  presumption,  however,  stands  the  fact  that 
in  all  large  and  flourishing  cities  throughout  the  world,  there 
has  been  manifest  of  late,  a strong  and  steadily  increasing 
tendency  to  abandon  the  old,  cramped  manner  of  building,  and 
to  adopt  a style  of  dwellings  with  individual  and  villa-like 
characteristics  that  involve  a greater  ground  space,  and  a corre- 
sponding tendency  at  the  same  time  to  widen  streets  and  public 
places,  and  separate  domestic  more  and  more  distinctly  from 
commercial  quarters.  This  tendency  is  especially  strong  where 
it  has  free  play  in  American  communities,  and  except  where 
it  goes  so  far  as  to  lead  people  to  dispense  with  appliances  of 
health,  which,  on  account  of  their  costliness,  require  a certain 
degree  of  density  of  building,  there  is  abundant  evidence  that 
it  is,  in  the  long  run,  economical,  beneficent  and  favorable  to 
the  prosperity  of  the  whole  community.  This  being  the  case,  it 
may  be  observed  incidentally,  that  in  designing  a park  in  the 
environs  of  a rapidly  growing  town,  it  is  proper  to  have  in  view, 
as  a secondary  purpose,  the  general  improvement  of  the  neigh- 
borhood with  reference  to  its  healthfulness  as  a residence,  as,  for 
instance,  by  facilitating  its  drainage. 

In  Chicago  the  banks  of  the  navigable  streams  are  unattrac- 
tive for  domestic  purposes  and  cannot  fail  to  be  required  for 
commerce.  Special  business  quarters  may  hereafter  grow  up 
in  some  directions  at  a considerable  distance  from  them,  but  if 
so  a more  or  less  complete  connection  of  business  streets  will 
soon  follow  between  the  two,  and  under  the  operation  of  the 
tendency  to  separate  domestic  from  commercial  life,  the  inter- 
mediate districts  will  become  less  and  less  valuable  for  dwell- 
ings. The  most  desirable  domestic  quarters  therefore  in  the 


5 


early  future  are  likely  to  be  those  in  which  building  has  never 
been  compact  and  which  are  in  no  danger  of  being  invaded  for 
commercial  purposes. 

In  regard  to  the  district  about  your  site  there  are,  in  the 
first  place,  nowhere  near  it  any  special  inducements  to  the  rise 
or  extension  of  a commercial  quarter;  in  the  second  place,  the 
interpolation  of  the  large  closed  spaces  of  the  Park,  turning 
transportation  out  of  direct  channels,  will  be  obstructive  to 
business,  and  finally,  the  advantage  which  will  come  with  the 
Park  for  securing  domestic  comfort  can  hardly  fail  to  soon 
establish  a special  reputation  for  the  neighborhood  and  give 
assurance  of  permanence  to  its  character  as  a superior  residence 
quarter. 

There  are  other  circumstances  which  it  is  unnecessary  to 
specify  here  which  add  weight  to  these  considerations,  and  it 
thus  becomes  highly  probable  that  before  any  proper  plan  of 
a park  designed  at  the  present  time  shall  be  fully  realized,  not 
only  will  a large  number  of  the  citizens  of  Chicago  be  living 
much  nearer  to  your  site  than  now,  but  it  will  be  in  the  center 
of  a really  populous  and  wealthy  district.  In  addition  then,  to 
its  holiday  use  by  the  whole  body  of  citizens,  a large  number 
must  be  expected  to  resort  to  it  for  their  daily  exercise  and 
recreation.  To  be  well  adapted  to  such  habitual  use,  it  will 
need  to  have  a much  greater  variety  of  features  and  much 
larger  and  more  varied  accommodations  than  if  it  were  so 
remote  to  the  population  of  the  city  on  an  average,  that  few 
would  see  it  except  occasionally  and  it  were  only  rarely  to  be 
used  by  great  numbers,  and  then  as  a pic-nic  and  roving  ground. 

If  it  were  now'  to  be  improved  wfith  a view  to  the  latter  use 
only,  it  would  be  impossible  at  a later  period  to  change  its  char- 
acter, by  the  introduction  of  much  enlarged  accommodations 
and  new  landscape  features  of  interest,  without  destroying  and 
wasting  much  of  what  had  first  been  prepared,  and  this  con- 
sideration would  probably  prevent  any  but  feeble  and  insufficient 
changes  being  made. 

Regarding  it  on  the  other  hand  as  an  urban  park,  that  is  to 
say,  as  a ground  to  which  large  numbers  of  people  will  resort 
every  day,  rather  than  as  a remote  or  holiday  park,  it  has  to  be 


6 


considered  that  it  will  be  but  one  of  a series  of  such  grounds 
and  will  be  further  from  the  present  town  centre  than  any  of 
the  others.  It  is  then  a question  how  far  it  should  be  treated 
purely  as  a local  park. 

It  is  clearly  most  undesirable  that  the  existing  territorial 
divisions  of  interest  and  policy  hv  which  all  comprehensive  im- 
provement of  your  city  are  embarrassed  should  be  unnecessarily 
perpetuated,  and  with  whatever  motives  the  choice  has  been 
made  of  the  park  sites  now  fixed  in  its  general  plan,  present 
duty  is  first  of  all  to  the  whole  city.  We  are  bound,  that  is  to 
say,  to  look  upon  the  park  to  be  formed  on  your  site  simply  as 
one  member  of  a general  system  of  provisions  upon  which  as 
a whole  the  health  of  the  city,  its  attractiveness  as  a residence 
and  its  prosperity  will  in  all  future  time  be  largely  dependent. 
In  the  process  of  design,  therefore,  one  of  the  first  duties  is  to 
study  the  comparative  value  of  one  or  another  possible  function, 
or  class  of  features  or  source  of  interest  of  each  site. 

The  marked,  circumstances  of  the  South  Park  site  when  com- 
pared with  the  others  are,  first,  the  groves  of  comparatively 
large  trees  which  it  contains;  second,  the  greater  spaciousness 
of  two  of  its  divisions;  and,  third,  the  longer  frontage  and 
greater  depth  of  that  division  of  it  which  looks  upon  the  Lake. 

The  first,  though  it  makes  the  Park  more  available  for  cer- 
tain purposes  at  an  early  day,  is  of  little  importance  with  refer- 
ence to  a plan  except  as  it  may  be  an  indication  that  the  natural 
conditions  are  more  favorable  than  elsewhere  for  the  growth  of 
large  trees,  and  we  are  of  opinion  that  with  skillful  manage- 
ment very  much  better  trees  than  any  on  the  South  Park  may  be 
grown  upon  each  of  the  other  park  sites  of  the  city. 

It  is  an  advantage  of  great  space  that  one  part  of  those  who 
resort  to  a park  for  recreation  can  be  engaged  in  a class  of 
exercises  which,  in  order  to  be  pursued  by  different  parties 
without  clashing,  require  much  breadth  of  open  ground,  that 
another  part  can  look  upon  the  first  from  a suitable  distance 
with  convenience  and  safety,  while  a third,  interested  neither  as 
participants  nor  spectators,  can  seclude  themselves  completely 
from  both  and  straying  into  other  parts  of  the  Park  pursue 
entire  different  methods  of  recreation.  Another  advantage  is 


7 


that,  without  any  sacrifice  of  convenience  for  the  class  of  exer- 
cises first  referred  to,  elements  of  interest  may  be  multiplied 
and  yet,  if  the  natural  features  oppose  no  obstacle,  a larger, 
simpler  and  more  tranquil  landscape  character  be  given  to  the 
Park  as  a whole. 

Of  the  other  park  sites  reserved  for  the  future  benefit  of 
Chicago  but  one  offers  this  class  of  advantages  in  any  degree  to 
compare  with  that  of  the  South  Park,  and  that,  as  it  should  be, 
is  the  one  which  is  at  the  greatest  distance  from  it.  The  two 
outer  divisions  of  the  South  Park  being  connected  more  directly, 
however,  and  by  a division  considerably  wider  than  any  connect- 
ing any  other  two  park  divisions  of  the  whole  series,  it  is  pos- 
sible to  associate  them  much  more  intimately  in  design  than 
any  other  two,  so  that  each  may  in  many  particulars  comple- 
ment the  other  and  the  whole  be  classed  together  as  one  park. 
If  we  add  to.  this  possibility  those  which  grow  out  of  its 
situation  with  reference  to  the  Lake,  there  can  be  little  room 
for  doubt  that  you  have  the  opportunity,  and  consequently  the 
duty,  of  adopting  a scale  of  scenery  and  at  certain  points  a scale 
of  public  accommodations  larger  than  can  elsewhere  be  attempt- 
ed, without  a restriction  upon  design  with  reference  to  depth 
and  variety  of  sylvan  elements  of  interest,  which  would  be  un- 
fortunate. 

By  a course  of  reasoning  thus  barely  indicated,  but  which 
will  be  more  evident  as  we  proceed  with  the  consideration  of 
details,  we  are  led  to  think  that,  while  the  local  urban  use  of 
the  South  Park  will  not  be  unimportant,  its  availability  for  gen- 
eral purposes  in  which  the  city  as  a whole  will  be  interested  is 
considerably  greater  than  that  of  any  other  of  the  sites  which 
have  been  reserved  for  parks. 

It  follows  that  the  South  Park  should  belong  to  a third  class, 
of  which  the  type  in  London  is  found  in  Hyde  Park  with  Ken- 
sington Gardens,  and  in  Paris  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne ; a class 
which  should  not  be  a compromise  between  the  two  extremes 
first  named,  but  in  which  the  advantages  of  each  should  be 
completely  reconciled  and  united. 

That  some  one  park  will  be  required  to  assume  this  position 
and  will  be  more  or  less  satisfactorily  adapted  to  it,  may,  from 


8 


the  experience  of  other  cities,  be  assumed  and  that  neither  of  the 
others  is  as  well  suited  to  the  purpose,  must,  we  believe  upon  a 
comparison  of  situations,  outlines  and  topographical  conditions, 
be  admitted. 

Before  discussing  what  should  be  demanded  in  such  a park 
and  the  availability  for  various  required  provisions  of  different 
parts  of  your  ground,  it  is  necessary  that  the  fact  should  "be 
recognized  that  none  of  the  sites  and  no  part  of  any  one  of  the 
sites  which  have  been  reserved  for  parks  at  Chicago,  would  gen- 
erally elsewhere  be  recognized  as  well  adapted  to  the  purpose. 
The  undertaking  involved  in  the  series  is,  indeed,  a bold  one 
and  can  be  justified  only  by  the  conviction  that  a city  of  great 
importance  to  the  world  at  large — a city  which  should  have  a 
metropolitan  character  and  influence,  and  to  which  great  num- 
bers of  men  should  be  drawn,  not  only  on  account  of  its  com- 
mercial, but  of  its  scientific,  artistic,  scholarly,  domestic  and 
social  advantages — is  here  to  be  built  upon  ground  plans  now 
forming  and  foundations  now  laying.  It  is  undeniable  that  it 
would  be  a most  serious  drawback  to  such  a city  not  to  be  pro- 
vided with  parks.  It  is  equally  undeniable  that  when  the  best 
has  been  done  that  is  possible,  it  will  be  a long  time  before 
parks  can  be  formed  for  it  which  will  compare  satisfactorily 
with  such  as  already  have  been  secured  by  most  important  cities 
of  the  civilized  world.  It  is  a courageous  forecast  which  reasons 
from  these  premises  that  the  sooner  all  that  is  done  that  is  pos- 
sible to  be  done  for  overcoming  this  disadvantage  of  the  city  is 
set  about,  the  better. 

If  this  is  the  justification  of  the  enterprise  which  in  its  most 
important  feature  it  has  been  given  you  to  inaugurate,  it  fol- 
lows that  while  the  immediate  reward  of  those  who  now  plan, 
prepare  and  tax  themselves  for  the  general  good  in  this  matter, 
should  be  reasonably  consulted,  their  benefit  should  not  be  held 
of  paramount  importance,  nor  should  any  plan  be  adopted  or 
anything  be  done  with  a view  to  their  gratification,  by  which 
a permanent  obstacle  would  be  placed  in  the  way  of  arrange- 
ments which  would  be  appropriate  and  sufficient  for  a city  of 
several  times  the  present  population  and  wealth  of  Chicago. 


9 


The  general  class,  scope  and  character  of  the  proposed  park 
having  been  thus  approximately  determined,  we  may  proceed 
to  consider  the  limitations  fixed  by  the  conditions  of  the  site 
upon  the  design. 

The  first  obvious  defect  of  the  site  is  that  of  its  flatness.  That 
this  is  to  be  regretted  is  undeniable,  yet  it  is  a mistake  to  sup- 
pose that  a considerable  extent  of  nearly  flat  ground  is  inad- 
missable  or  undesirable  in  a great  park,  or  that  it  must  be  over- 
come, at  any  cost,  by  vast  artificial  elevations  and  depressions, 
or  by  covering  all  the  surface  with  trivial  objects  of  interest. 

The  Central  Park  of  New  York,  having  been  laid  out  for 
the  most  prodigal  city  in  the  world,  is  one  of  the  most  costly 
constructions  ever  made  for  public,  open  air  recreation.  The 
view  just  expressed  may  then  be  thought  to  be  strengthened 
by  the  fact  that  one  of  the  largest  items  in  its  cost,  and  un- 
questionably, one  of  the  most  profitable,  was  that  for  reducing 
considerable  portions  of  its  surface  to  a prairie-like  simplicity. 
In  our  judgment,  it  still  comes  far  short  in  this  particular  of 
what  is  chiefly  desirable  in  the  principal  recreation  ground  of  a 
large  city,  in  a temperate  climate. 

It  should  especially  be  considered  that  where  there  is  a broad 
meadow  with  ever  so  little  obvious  play  of  surface,  an  irregular 
border  formed  by  massive  bodies  of  foliage  will  in  a great  degree 
supply  the  place  in  landscape  of  moderate  hills  and  particu- 
larly will  this  be  the  case  if  it  contains  water  in  some  slight 
depression,  so  situated  as  to  double  these  masses. 

Chicago  in  the  future  would  no  doubt  be  glad  if  there  should 
have  been  provided  for  it,  somewhere  within  the  thousand  acres 
of  its  principal  park,  a considerable  district  of  a highly  pictur- 
esque character,  a mountain  glen  with  a dashing  stream  and 
cascades,  for  example,  but,  agreeable  as  this  might  he  if  it  were 
to  he  obtained  by  the  simple  appropriation  and  development  of 
conditions  already  existing;  as  in  the  valley  of  Wissahickon  at 
Philadelphia,  it  would,  after  all,  in  a thoroughly  well  ordered 
park,  be  an  episode,  not  essential,  and  far  less  useful  than  a 
district  of  low  rolling  prairie. 


10 


There  is  but  one  object  of  scenery  near  Chicago  of  special 
grandeur  or  sublimity,  and  that,  the  Lake,  can  be  made  by 
artificial  means  no  more  grand  or  sublime.  By  no  practical 
elevation  of  artificial  hills,  that  is  to  say,  would  the  impression 
of  the  observer  in  overlooking  it  be  made  greatly  more  profound. 
The  Lake  may,  indeed,  be  accepted  as  fully  compensating  for 
the  absence  of  sublime  or  picturesque  elevations  of  land. 

There  are  three  elements  of  scenery  however,  which  must  be 
regarded  as  indispensable  to  a fine  park  to  be  formed  on  your 
site,  the  first  being  turf,  the  second  foliage,  the  third  still  water. 
For  each  of  these  you  are  bound,  at  the  outset,  to  make  the  best 
of  your  opportunities,  because  if  you  do  not,  posterity  will  be 
likely  to  lay  waste  what  you  have  done,  in  order  to  prepare 
something  better. 

Water  wells  up  abundantly  a few  feet  below  the  surface  in 
nearly  all  parts  of  your  ground,  and  may  therefore  be  easily 
introduced  when  required  in  your  plan.  Turf  may  also  be 
secured  in  a few  years,  by  the  common  agricultural  process. 
But  the  adequate  development  of  foliage  is  not  so  sure  and 
simple  a matter. 

Great  spreading  trees,  are  the  distinctive  glory  of  all  park 
scenery  in  which  broad  spaces  of  level  greensward  are  the 
central  features.  But  park-like  great  trees  are  hardly  more 
natural  to  your  conditions  than  hills,  crags,  or  dashing  streams. 
There  is  no  difficulty  in  making  young  trees  live  and  flourish  in 
Chicago,  but  sooner  or  later,  always  before  they  reach  what 
should  be  their  finest  estate,  they  seem  to  lose  vigor,  and  a 
large  number  come  to  untimely  death.  The  trees  at  present  on 
your  ground  are,  many  of  them,  of  considerable  size,  but  not 
one  of  these  has  a character  which  would  be  of  high  value  in  a 
park.  Most  of  them  are  evidently  struggling  for  mere  exist- 
ence, and  the  largest  are  nearly  all  decrepid.  The  unfortunate 
influences  affecting  them  are  of  two  classes,  those  which  act 
upon  the  foliage,  and  those  which  act  upon  the  root. 

In  regard  to  the  first  we  have  seen  an  effect  produced  upon 
tender  foliage  and  twigs  by  a high  wind  suddenly  coming  off 


11 


the  Lake  after  a warm  day  in  Spring,  so  remarkable  that  if 
often  repeated  it  conld  not  fail  to  result  in  permanent  constitu- 
tional injury.  This  and  other  atmospheric  difficulties  you  can- 
not expect  to  lessen,  on  the  contrary,  as  the  fumes,  smoke  and 
dust  of  the  town  increase,  they  are  likely  to  be  aggravated. 
The  obvious  root  evils  are  a cold,  wet,  sometimes  permanently 
water-soaked  soil  or  sub-soil,  and  inadequate  or  unsuitable  root 
food.  By  reducing  the  general  level  of  the  ground  water  as 
far  as  practicable,  the  temperature  of  the  soil  in  your  Upper 
Division  may  probably  be  elevated  from  ten  to  fifteen  degrees 
of  Fahrenheit,  and  the  average  length  of  the  season  in  which 
wood  will  grow  and  ripen  may  be  extended  about  a month. 
With  an  improved  ground  temperature  and  deep  soil,  moder- 
ately rich  but  not  at  all  stimulating,  trees  may  be  expected 
to  grow  which  will  possess  much  greater  vigor  and  powers  of 
resistance  and  recuperation  with  reference  to  harmful  atmos- 
pheric influences  than  any  hitherto  grown  under  the  conditions 
which  naturally  prevail  near  Chicago,  and  there  are  many  of  the 
most  desirable  species  and  varieties  which  could  probably  be 
brought  to  exhibit  their  peculiar  beauties  in  the  highest  degree. 

The  light  mould  at  present  found  in  some  parts  of  your 
ground  is  of  that  character,  the  fertility  of  which  is  quickly  ex- 
hausted, and  while  it  should  be  carefully  husbanded  is  of  little 
permanent  value.  It  will  be  necessary  therefore  to  bring  upon 
the  ground  a large  amount  of  surface  material  to  form  a moder- 
ately rich,  wholesome  loam,  and  this  operation  however  tedious 
and  costly,  should  go  before  every  other  but  drainage  and 
grading.  The  turning  in  of  a series  of  green  crops,  forced  to 
rankness  by  stimulating  manures,  after  a dressing  of  clay,  will 
probably  be  the  most  economical  way  of  improving  the  character 
of  the  soil  on  a large  scale. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  advantage  which  is  to  be  gained 
by  reducing  the  level  of  the  ground  water  in  the  Upper  Division. 
In  the  Lower  Division  one-third  of  all  the  surface  is  below  the 
high-water  level  of  the  Lake,  the  greater  part  of  the  remainder 
is  much  too  low,  too  wet  and  cold  for  upland  trees  to  flourish 
upon  it,  and  adequate  drainage  is  out  of  the  question. 


12 


If  it  should  be  undertaken  to  form  a large  market  garden  in 
such  a district  as  this,  the  first  thing  to  be  done  would  be,  if 
possible,  to  secure  a free  outlet  through  the  beach,  so  that  water 
flowing  in  from  the  west  would,  under  no  circumstances,  be  so 
checked  in  its  outflow  as  to  rise  appreciably  higher  than  the 
Lake.  This  would  be  accomplished,  if  at  all,  by  building  out  a 
crib  upon  the  beach,  and  then  opening  a channel,  the  mouth  of 
which  would  be  on  its  south  side.  A series  of  cross  channels 
would  then  be  laid  out  mainly  parallel  with  and  equidistant 
from  one  another,  the  breadth,  depth,  and  distances  between 
them  being  so  adjusted  that  the  material  excavated,  when 
thrown  out,  should  be  sufficient  to  raise  the  surface  of  all  the 
intermediate  ground  just  so  far  above  the  level  of  the  Lake  as 
should  be  thought  necessary  for  the  thrifty  growth  of  the  crops 
proposed  to  he  cultivated. 

The  same  process  may  be  adopted  for  your  purpose,  with 
such  modifications  as  the  difference  between  a park  and  a 
vegetable  garden  requires,  the  difference  being,  that  in  the  park 
the  divisions  of  land  and  water  should  have  a natural  appear- 
ance and  be  interesting  in  landscape  effect,  and  that  they  should 
be  adapted  to  the  convenient  movement  of  a large  number  of 
persons  pursuing  recreation  in  a variety  of  ways. 

Searching  for  a natural  type  of  what  is  thus  desirable,  we  look 
first  for  local  suggestions.  The  present  formation  is  the  result 
of  an  encroachment  of  the  shore  upon  the  Lake,  and  this  ap- 
pears to  have  occurred  first  by  the  formation  of  a large  outer 
bar,  and  of  minor  bars  within  it,  the  outer  bar  rising  gradually 
more  and  more  above  the  surface,  and  finally  completely  sepa- 
rating the  water  behind  it,  except  perhaps  at  one  or  two  inlets, 
from  the  main  Lake.  In  subsequent  storms  the  outer  bar  has 
been  more  or  less  broken  down,  and  sand,  driven  by  wave  and 
wind,  mixed  with  some  wash  from  the  land  side,  has  gradually 
filled  up  the  inner  basins. 

Had  the  situation  been  less  bleak,  had  the  outer  bar  been 
firmer  and  composed  of  different  material,  had  the  streams  flow- 
ing in  been  more  rapid  and  the  country  swept  by  them  richer 
in  vegetation,  and  had  the  climate  been  hot  and  moist  certain 


13 


plants  would  have  taken  root  upon  the  shallows,  silt  would 
have  been  caught  by  them  and  drift  stuff  lodged  upon  them; 
fish,  birds,  insects  would  have  made  contributions  and  soil 
would  accumulate,  other  plants  would  in  time  overgrow  the  first, 
and,  the  process  continuing,  scenery  would  finally  result  of  a 
most  interesting  and  fascinating  character,  that,  namely,  of  the 
wooded  lagoons  of  the  tropics. 

You  certainly  cannot  set  the  madrepore  or  the  mangrove  at 
work  on  the  banks  of  Lake  Michigan,  you  cannot  naturalize 
bamboo  or  papyrus,  aspiring  palm  or  waving  parasites,  but  you 
can  set  firm  harriers  to  the  violence  of  winds  and  waves,  and 
make  shores  as  intricate,  as  arborescent  and  as  densely  overhung 
with  foliage  as  any.  You  can  have  placid  and  limpid  water 
within  these  shores  that  will  mirror  and  double  all  above  it  as 
truly  as  any,  and  thus,  if  you  cannot  reproduce  the  tropical 
forest  in  all  its  mysterious  depths  of  shade  and  visionary  reflec- 
tions of  light,  you  can  secure  a combination  of  the  fresh  and 
healthy  nature  of  the  North  with  the  restful,  dreamy  nature 
of  the  South,  that  would  in  our  judgment  be  admirably  fitted  to 
the  general  purposes  of  any  park,  and  which  certainly  could 
nowhere  be  more  grateful  than  in  the  borders  of  your  city,  not 
only  on  account  of  the  present  intensely  wide-awake  character  of 
its  people,  but  because  of  the  special  quality  of  the  scenery  about 
Chicago  in  which  flat  and  treeless  prairie  and  limitless  expanse 
of  lake  are  such  prominent  characteristics. 

Taste  and  convenience  would  require  that  some  portions  of 
the  lagoon  waters  should  be  broader  than  the  economy  of  a 
mere  market  garden  would  prescribe,  but  to  avoid  great  length 
of  haul  in  filling  over  the  marshy  ground,  the  water  spaces 
would  need  to  be  distributed  from  end  to  end  and  from  the 
beach  to  the  rear  of  the  Lower  Division. 

This  course  of  thought  leads  towards  two  important  conclu- 
sions, viz. : 1st.  By  any  feasible  and  moderately  economical 

plan  of  making  a public  pleasure  resort  on  your  Lower  Division, 
water  must  be  so  distributed  through  it  that  the  land  will  be 
broken  up  into  comparatively  small  areas  and  no  great  breadth 


14 


of  green  landscape  will  be  available.  2d.  Command  of  the 
Lake  upon  a shore  line  of  more  than  a mile  and  a half  in 
length ; accessibility  from  the  heart  of  the  city  by  water- 
passage,  and  the  great  extent  and  necessary  ramifications  of  its 
interior  waters  wonld  give  snch  marked  distinctions  to  this  part 
of  the  Park,  that,  so  long  as  they  were  in  view,  a comparison 
of  it  with  parks  elsewhere,  more . fortunate  in  other  respects, 
would  be  out  of  the  question.  For  beauty  of  hill  and  dale  your 
ground  certainly  will  never  be  distinguished;  it  may  never  be 
for  the  grandeur  of  its  trees,  but  it  may  have  a beauty  and  an 
interest  of  its  own  such  as  we  have  partly  indicated,  in  which 
the  citizens  of  Chicago  for  generations  to  come,  shall  take  a 
just  pride,  and  all  the  more  so  that  it  has  been  the  result  of 
their  fathers’  work  upon  a sand-bar. 

In  every  distinct  field  of  design,  however  multitudinous  the 
intentions  to  be  served  in  its  details,  some  one  source  of  interest 
should  dominate,  and  either  by  contrast  or  harmony,  all  details 
should  be  auxiliary  to  this  central  interest.  In  a work  of  the 
kind  before  us  there  may  be — almost  necessarily  must  be — 
several  more  or  less  distinct  fields  of  design,  but  it  is  desirable 
that  there  should  be  a studied  artistic  relation  of  support  by 
harmony,  and  of  emphasis  by  contrast  of  character  between  the 
different  fields.  The  element  of  interest  which  undoubtedly 
should  be  placed  first,  if  possible,  in  the  park  of  any  great  city, 
is  that  of  an  antithesis  to  its  bustling,  paved,  rectangular, 
walled-in  streets ; this  requirement  would  best  be  met  by  a large 
meadowy  ground,  of  an  open,  free,  tranquil  character.  The 
necessity  of  sub-dividing  the  ground  by  the  ramifications  of  the 
water  system,  and  of  generally  planting  the  shores,  if  you  would 
gain  the  beauty  or  reflections,  half-lights,  and  shaded  coves  of 
foliage  over  water,  as  we  have  proposed,  will  prevent  your  realiz- 
ing any  considerable  breadth  of  open  landscape  within  your 
Lower  Division.  It  will  be  equally  impossible  within  your 
Middle  Division,  on  account  of  its  narrowness.  Fortunately, 
there  is  no  similar  objection  to  the  realization  of  this  desider- 
atum in  the  Upper  Division,  the  proper  general  landscape  char- 
acter of  which,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Lower  Division,  may  thus 
be  considered  as  determined. 


15 


We  proceed  to  consider  what  is  required  more  specifically  in 
the  Lower  Division.  It  naturally  divides  into  two  fields  of  land- 
scape, the  exterior  Lake  expanse  with  its  necessarily  simple,  raw, 
storm-lashed  foreground,  and  the  interior  Lagoon  scenery,  intri- 
cate, sequestered,  sylvan  and  rich  in  variety  of  color  and  play 
of  light  and  shade,  both  having  the  common  and  continuous 
element  of  water.  Still,  considering  this  park  as  the  principal 
recreation  ground  of  the  city  and  one  in  which  more  than  any 
other  a general  attendance  from  all  parts  of  the  city  should  be 
expected,  invited,  and  prepared  for,  the  fact  remains  that  the 
distance  to  it  from  the  centre  and  more  northern  quarters  is 
so  long  that  the  access  to  it  by  land  will  be  often  uninteresting 
and  tedious.  Were  it  to  be  very  much  more  so,  mere  approach 
by  land  to  the  Park  wholly  impracticable,  as  from  Venice  to 
the  Lido,  the  means  of  access  by  water  and  the  connection  of 
the  Park  by  water  with  the  heart  of  the  commercial  part  of  the 
city  would  be  so  admirable  that  under  ordinarily  favorable  con- 
ditions of  weather,  there  would  be  thousands  of  the  very  class  of 
citizens  whose  convenience  most  needs  to  be  considered,  to  whom 
the  Park  would  practically  begin  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago 
river.  Where  great  numbers  are  to  be  carried  short  distances, 
there  is  no  transportation  so  cheap  or  so  agreeable  as  that  by 
water,  and  the  time  should  be  expected  when  the  toiling  popula- 
tion of  Chicago,  relieved  from  work  at  an  early  hour  on  the  last 
of  the  week,  will  be  carried  to  the  South  Park  by  many  tens  of 
thousands  at  the  cost  of  a few  cents.  Its  advantages  in  this 
respect  will  correspond  to  those  of  the  Haga  Park  of  Stockholm, 
one  of  the  most  popular  and  delightful  public  grounds  in  the 
world. 

Aside  from  the  actual  advantages  of  access  which  it  thus 
offers,  it  is  most  desirable  that  whatever  sources  of  interest  there 
may  be  in  the  Lake  should  be  as  closely  as  possible  associated 
with  those  of  the  Park  and  be  made  to  appear,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, part  and  parcel  of  the  Park.  The  introduction  of  artificial 
water  with  natural  outlines  and  no  perceptible  current,  so  near 
the  great  Lake,  is,  as  a matter  of  Art,  not  a little  hazardous, 
and  to  fully  insure  it  against  a paltry  and  childish  aspect  it  is 
indispensable  that  the  character  of  the  Lagoon  as  an  arm  of  the 


16 


Lake  should  be  distinctly  manifest.  For  this  reason  the  chan- 
nel between  the  water  of  the  Lake  and  the  water  within  the 
Park  should  be  given  importance  in  the  design,  so  that  at  all 
times,  even  when  few  or  no  boats  are  passing,  this  privilege 
of  the  Park  will  be  felt  by  land  visitors  as  an  important  dis- 
tinction. 

The  channel  must  be  cut  through  the  beach,  the  break  in  it 
being  guarded  against  the  drift  of  sand  from  the  northward  by  a 
pier,  which  should  be  fully  two  hundred  feet  in  length,  in  order 
to  create  a strong  eddy  at  the  mouth  of  the  inlet.  It  must 
be  presumed  that  in  any  case  the  channel  will  need  occasional 
dredging. 

Such  a pier  would  be  the  most  prominent  object  connecting 
the  Park  with  the  Lake,  and  experience  shows  that  where  an 
offset  into  the  water  from  a tame  coast  has  been  thus  formed 
people  are  strongly  drawn  to  gather  upon  and  near  it.  So  well 
established  is  this  attraction  that  at  many  of  the  places  of  resort 
on  the  English  and  French  coasts,  long  piers  have  been  built 
simply  for  the  gratification  of  visitors. 

For  these  reasons  the  pier  and  inlet  must  be  treated  as  most 
important  member  of  the  design;  they  should  not  be  thrust 
into  a corner,  but  located  as  near  to  the  heart  of  the  Park  as 
possible,  and  as  visitors  will  inevitably  be  drawn  to  the  pier 
special  provision  should  be  planned  for  the  comfortable  coming 
together  of  a large  number  in  connection  with  it.  From  the 
view  of  the  Lake  which  these  would  command,  the  transition 
should  be  made  easy  and  natural  to  some  other  point,  also 
adapted  to  the  coming  together  of  large  numbers,  which  will 
have  a like  central  position  with  reference  to  the  Lagoon. 

We  wish  to  present  one  other  class  of  preliminary  considera- 
tions before  referring  to  our  plans.  Among  the  purposes  for 
which  public  grounds  are  used  is  that  of  an  arena  for  athletic 
sports,  such  as  base  ball,  foot  ball,  cricket,  and  running  games, 
such  as  prisoner’s  base,  and  others  which  are  liable  to  come  again 
much  more  in  fashion  than  they  have  been  of  late.  Another  is 
that  of  a ground  for  parades,  reviews,  drills,  processions  and 
public  meetings  and  ceremonies  in  which  large  spaces  are  re- 


IT 


quired.  Experience  shows  that  neither  upon  fields  used  for 
these  purposes  nor  on  ground  where  large  numbers  of  people  are 
liable  to  come  together  strongly  interested  in  them,  is  it  practi- 
cable to  guard  shrubs  and  low  branching  trees  from  injury. 
For  all  these  purposes  turf  is  much  more  favorable  to  the  skill 
and  comfort  of  those  engaged  in  the  exercises  and  more  agree- 
able to  the  eye  of  spectators  than  gravel;  it  is  also  generally 
much  less  costly.  If  at  any  particular  point,  however,  it  is 
much  used  it  wears  out  and  leaves  unsightly  and  slippery  ground 
in  its  stead.  Consequently  it  is  impossible  to  keep  grounds  used 
for  these  purposes  in  decent  order  unless  the  open  fields  of  turf 
are  very  large  and  the  plantations  about  them  are  of  an  open 
character,  and  composed  almost  wholly  of  strong,  clean  trunked 
trees. 

It  is  also  impossible  to  keep  grounds  in  good  order  in  which 
the  breadths  of  turf  are  smaller  and  decorated  with  shrubbery 
and  low  foliage,  if  the  same  freedom  of  movement  and  action 
' is  permitted  in  them  which  it  is  desirable  to  allow  upon  the 
larger  open  grounds.  Consequently  an  entirely  different  scheme 
of  regulations  needs  to  be  applied  to  them.  To  enable  these  to 
be  enforced  the  line  between  one  class  of  grounds  and  the 
other  must  be  sharply  defined  so  that  it  cannot  be  passed  un- 
consciously even  under  excitement. 

The  distinction  between  grounds^#  be  used  by  day  only,  and 
grounds  to  be  open  night  and  day,  needs  also  to  be  considered. 
It  is  impossible  to  make  grounds  in  the  midst  of  large  towns 
which  offer  numerous  places  of  complete  obscurity,  safe  places 
of  general  resort  after  nightfall.  Wherever  it  has  been  attempt- 
ed in  Europe  or  America,  decent  people  have  soon  been  driven 
from  them,  and  they  have  become  nurseries  of  crime  and 
immorality. 

The  tarry  vapor  which  escapes  from  gas-pipes  is  poisonous  to 
trees,  and  grounds  which  are  closely  planted,  or  which  abound 
in  shrubs  and  underwood,  cannot  be  so  lighted  artificially  that 
their  landscape  beauty  may  be  enjoyed,  or  so  that  those  wishing 
concealment  in  them  can  be  clearly  recognized,  and  their  move- 
ments surely  followed.  For  this  reason,  when  such  grounds  are 


18 


not  closed  at  dusk,  they  require  a much  larger  police  force  by 
night  than  by  day,  and  it  is  always  questionable  whether,  at 
best,  their  advantages  for  evil  purposes  do  not  outweigh  those 
for  good. 

Disregarding  here  very  small  places  we  thus  show  a neces- 
sity for  two  classes  of  grounds,  one  characterized  by  broad, 
nearly  level  spaces  of  turf  suitable  for  reviews  and  athletic 
exercises,  and  open  plantations  offering  no  coverts,  and  which 
may  be  artificially  lighted  and  safely  resorted  to  after  nightfall ; 
the  other,  not  designed  to  be  artificially  lighted  nor  to  be  used  at 
night,  adapted  only  to  quiet  and  moderate  exercises;  in  which 
shrubbery,  underwood  and  brooding  trees  may  be  common  ele- 
ments of  scenery,  and  if  circumstances  admit  of  it,  what  is 
technically  styled  the  picturesque  in  distinction  from  the  simply 
beautiful  in  nature  may  be  cultivated. 

The  scenery  of  the  first  class  of  grounds  is  distinctively 
“park  scenery,”  because  the  private  parks  of  Europe  are  gener- 
ally pastured  by  deer  or  cattle,  and  consequently,  up  to  a 
distinct  browsing  line,  are  clear  of  foliage.  The  scenery  of  the 
second  class  is  that  of  what  is  usually  distinguished  from  the 
park  as  the  “pleasure  ground”  or  “kept  ground,”  being  man- 
aged in  a more  garden-like  way.  We  shall  term  the  first 
"open,”  and  shall  apply  the  old  word  "plaisance”  to  such  as 
is  intended  to  be  enclosed  with  a high  fence  and  used  only 
by  day. 

Your  territory  is  so  extensive  and  so  large  a population  may 
be  expected  eventually  to  resort  exclusively  to  it  for  out-door 
recreation  that  it  is  clear  that  provision  of  both  classes  should 
be  found  in  it,  and  its  extreme  points  being  three  miles  apart 
(exclusive  of  the  Parkways),  it  should  not  even  be  necessary 
for  a boy  who  has  reached  one  end  to  go  half  around  it  to  find 
himself  free  to  run  upon  the  turf,  or  that  a man  living  near 
it  and  going  out  after  dusk  with  his  wife  and  daughters,  should 
find  no  better  place  in  which  to  stroll  than  an  ordinary  street 
side-walk.  For  these  reasons  there  should  be  enough  “open” 
ground  at  least  for  local  use,  night  and  day,  near  each  of  the 
extreme  parts  of  your  plan. 


19 


It  is  impracticable  to  close  any  ground  at  night  through 
which  important  thoroughfares  are  carried  unless  by  the  ex- 
pedient of  carrying  one  line  of  transit  under  another  as  in  the 
New  York  Park.  This  is  a costly  arrangement  and  can  rarely 
be  used  so  that  landscape  opportunities  shall  not  be  marred  by 
it;  it  should  only  be  adopted  therefore  under  considerations  of 
special  necessity. 

We  are  instructed  that  your  Upper  Division  must  be  crossed 
by  a thoroughfare  near  its  middle  from  east  to  west.  It  is  not 
to  be  hoped  and  there  is  no  reason  to  believe  that  there  ever  will 
be  a business  quarter  on  the  east  side  of  this  ground,  nor  at 
least  very  near  it  on  the  west.  As  the  space  in  the  east  is  quite 
limited  and  is  likely  to  be  occupied  almost  exclusively  with 
dwellings  of  people  of  wealth,  and  therefore  not  densely,  there 
is  not  likely  to  be  much  need  for  driving  through  the  Park 
except  with  pleasure  carriages.  Coal,  building  materials,  hay, 
and  most  market  supplies  will  be  brought  in  from  the  north, 
and  the  principal  occasion  for  crossing  with  business  wagons 
will  be  early  in  the  morning,  as  of  milkmen  and  bakers.  Under 
these  circumstances  the  movement  of  pleasure  carriages  is  not 
likely  to  be  so  unpleasantly  interfered  with  as  at  all  to  justify 
the  construction  of  a sunken  traffic  road  across  the  Park.  The 
only  important  question  involved  is  as  to  the  night  use,  with 
which  we  shall  deal  presently. 


We  shall  now  refer  to  our  plans,  which  are  upon  three  sheets : 
No.  1 representing  the  Upper  Division;  No.  2,  the  space  six 
hundred  feet  wide  connecting  it  with  the  Low^er  Division,  which 
is  shown  on  No.  3. 

The  Upper  and  Lower  Divisions  are  each  subdivided  into  an 
open  and  an  enclosed  ground,  and  the  whole  of  the  Middle 
Division  is  enclosed.  The  open  ground  of  the  Upper  Division 
is  designated  the  Southopen  Ground;  the  other  looking  upon 
the  Lake,  the  Lakeopen  Ground;  different  parts  of  the  en- 
closed ground  are  designated  respectively  the  Upper  Plaisance, 
the  Midway  Plaisance,  and  the  Lagoon  Plaisance. 


20 


The  various  subdivisions  are  connected  by  a common  system 
of  drives  and  walks,  as  well  as  by  the  arrangement  of  water. 
The  drives  are  generally  forty  feet  wide.  In  the  Midway 
Division,  where  there  are  two  parallel  stretches  so  near  together 
as  almost  to  form  one,  the  width  of  each  part  is  thirty-five  feet, 
and  on  the  Lake  shore,  where  carriages  are  likely  to  be  driven 
back  and  forth  repeatedly,  and  the  number  wishing  to  occupy 
the  road  is  likely  to  be  larger  than  elsewhere,  the  width  is  in- 
creased to  fifty  feet. 

Five  open  places  are  also  introduced  in  the  system,  each  two 
or  more  acres  in  extent,  in  order  to  allow  carriages  to  stand 
together,  so  that  their  occupants  may  engage  in  conversation, 
listen  to  music  or  look  upon  some  prospect  of  special  interest, 
without  interrupting  the  circulation  upon  the  drives. 

We  have  presumed  that  the  same  principle  of  construction 
which  has  been  applied  in  the  Lincoln  Park  drives  would  be 
adopted  in  yours,  the  conditions  of  the  ground  and  the  materials 
at  your  command  being  similar,  while  it  is  probable  that  with 
the  use  of  a heavy  steam  roller,  more  efficient  arrangements  for 
drainage  and  more  care  in  details,  a road  may  thus  be  formed 
more  agreeable  than  the  best  stone  or  concrete  roads,  and  at 
much  less  cost.  Two  stretches  of  bridle  road  are  introduced  on 
a part  of  the  ground  where  there  will  be  no  occasion  for  any  one 
to  be  walking.  Equestrians  may  thus  have  an  opportunity  to 
gallop  at  speed,  but,  as,  with  the  unusual  extent  of  ordinary 
roads  provided  for,  their  length  being  about  fourteen  miles,  they 
are  seldom  likely  to  be  much  crowded  with  carriages,  and  as, 
with  the  construction  suggested,  they  will  be  satisfactory  under 
the  saddle  as  well  as  in  carriages,  we  have  not  thought  it  neces- 
sary to  indicate  any  great  extent  of  roads  designed  especially 
for  riding.  Should  it  be  desired,  a pad  may  be  introduced  by 
the  side  of  the  ordinary  road  anywhere  in  the  Upper  or  Lower 
Division,  or  a bridle  road  thrown  off  on  the  west  and  south 
sides  of  the  Lower  Division  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  upper. 
Thirty  miles  of  walks  are  indicated  with  similar  arrangements 
for  occasional  congregation,  the  more  important  of  which  will 
be  referred  to  in  the  description  of  the  several  subdivisions  of  the 
plan  which  follows. 


21 


The  Southopen  ground,  which  will  be  found  on  the  left 
of  plan  No.  1,  consists  simply  of  a nearly  level  meadow  with  a 
grove  of  large  trees  surrounding  it  on  all  sides  but  one,  where 
the  character  of  the  plantation,  as  it  is  extended  into  the  ad- 
joining closed  district,  changes  to  that  of  a denser  and  more 
picturesque  wood,  with  glades  of  turf  reaching  far  into  it  from 
the  meadow.  Entering  the  park  from  either  of  the  two  prin- 
cipal approaches  from  the  city,  the  visitor,  as  he  passes  through 
the  outer  grove,  will  thus  find  a view  opening  before  him  over 
a greensward  without  a perceptible  break,  considerably  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  Open  Ground  itself,  and  ending  in  one  direc- 
tion in  a glimmer  of  water  reflecting  tall  trees  nearly  a mile 
away.  Advancing  further,  if  late  in  the  day,  the  shadows  of 
the  trees  falling  across  the  meadow,  will  be  a quarter  of  a mile 
in  length,  sheep  and  cows  will  be  grazing  upon  it  and  boys  and 
men  playing  here  and  there,  as  on  a village  green.  A carriage 
road  passes  around  it,  on  each  side  of  which,  at  a short  distance, 
there  are  walks  with  numerous  branches  and  connections,  one 
series  under  the  shade  of  the  grove  and  the  other  upon  the  open 
green.  The  space  of  turf  inclosed  by  the  circuit  drive  contains 
a hundred  acres,  and  the  space  available  for  reviews  is  about  the 
same  as  that  of  the  Champ  de  Mars  at  Paris,  and  much  larger 
than  any  parade  or  play  ground  thus  far  provided  for  anywhere 
in  this  country. 

Of  the  two  approaches  which  have  been  referred  to,  one  is 
planned  more  especially  with  reference  to  the  rapid  movement 
of  a great  number  of  persons  driving,  riding  or  walking,  being 
planted  openly  with  the  straight  rows  of  clean  trunked  trees. 
This,  having  in  mind  its  terminus  as  well  its  plan,  we  have 
designated  the  Southopen  Parkway.  The  other  is  designed 
with  a view  to  more  quiet  and  leisurely  movement,  and  its 
principal  feature  is  a walk  or  series  of  walks  passing  somewhat 
indirectly  through  a grove  with  frequent  interludes  of  shrub- 
bery, fountains  and  arbors  to  invite  rest  and  contemplation. 
This  we  have  accordingly  designated  the  Southgrove  Parkway. 
In  a town  where  local  nomenclature  can  so  rarely  be  based 
on  topographical  circumstances,  any  tolerable  names  of  this  class 
should  be  welcomed.  Even  if  they  seem  outlandish  at  first,  if  at 


all  euphonious,  a very  little  usage  makes  them  familiar  and 
much  more  agreeable  than  arbitrary  names. 

The  third  grand  approach  to  the  Park  will  enter  the  South- 
open  Ground  from  the  west  near  its  southern  end,  and  from 
this  point,  which  in  the  afternoon  would  be  chosen  as  the  best 
for  looking  across  the  Green,  we  have  planned  arrangements  for 
the  principal  place  of  assemblage  of  the  upper  park.  At  the 
junction  of  roads  from  four  directions  there  is  a Concourse 
for  carriages ; in  its  rear  a stand  for  music ; back  of  this  again 
an  extensive  area  covered  by  trellises  and  surrounded  by  gal- 
leries, one  of  which,  overlooking  the  Concourse  and  the  Green, 
is  intended  to  serve  the  purpose  of  a grand  stand  on  occasion  of 
parades,  match  games  and  exhibitions.  To  this  series  of  struc- 
tures is  added  a large  Refectory  building,  and  the  whole,  on 
account  of  its  open-sided  character,  is  termed  the  Pavilion. 
Promenade  concerts  are  designed  to  be  held  here,  the  audience, 
not  in  carriages,  walking  on  or  under  the  galleries  or  in  alleys 
under  the  vine-covered  trellises,  at  the  sides  of  which  will  be 
seats  and  tables  for  ices  and  coffee. 

Being  on  the  Open  Ground  the  Refectory  need  not  be  closed 
at  night. 

The  Pavilion  may  be  brilliantly  illuminated  and  fireworks 
may  be  safely  exhibited  on  the  Green  opposite,  where  they  will 
be  seen  to  great  advantage  from  the  front  gallery.  The  public 
road  here  crossing  the  park,  being  also  entirely  within  the  Open 
Ground,  may  be  open  at  night. 

The  grand  approach  from  the  west  entering  the  park  in  front 
of  the  Pavilion,  we  have  designated  the  Pavilion  Parkway. 

It  has  been  shown  that  in  the  view  from  the  north  end  of  the 
Green  no  line  of  demarcation  is  designed  to  be  seen  at  its  south 
boundary.  To  accomplish  this  a broad  artificial  depression  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  Green  will  be  required,  the  needed 
depth  at  the  middle  not  being  more  than  two  feet.  South  of  the 
transverse  road  a deeper  excavation  is  to  be  made  for  a small 
pool,  at  each  end  of  which  will  be  an  island  which  will  receive 
the  fence,  the  pool  serving  as  a fence  across  the  intermediate 


23 


space.  The  water  of  this  pool  will  not  be  seen  in  the  view  from 
the  north  end  of  the  Green  but  the  eye  will  range  over  it  and 
through  a continuation  of  the  depression,  southerly,  to  the  more 
distant  water. 

The  Southopen  Ground  will  need  no  enclosure  except  a low 
guard  rail;  (of  course,  in  saying  this  we  presume  that  cattle 
will  not  be  allowed  to  range  through  the  adjoining  streets.) 
The  grass  should  be  kept  short  by  a sufficient  number  of  sheep 
and  a few  cows,  the  milk  of  which  may  be  sold  by  the  glass 
to  visitors  as  is  done  in  St.  James*  Park  in  London. 

We  have  before  indicated  the  advantages  of  an  open  ground 
thus  detached  for  certain  purposes,  though  artistically  united 
to  the  enclosed  portion  of  the  park.  As  the  practical  application 
of  our  views  will  now,  however,  be  better  understood,  we  reca- 
pitulate them: 

1st,  The  arrangement  avoids  the  temptation  which  has  else- 
where been  found  irresistible  to  trespass  upon  the  enclosed  park 
for  purposes  which  within  it  are  illegal,  destructive  and  de- 
moralizing, such  as  military  and  semi-military  parades  and 
political  demonstrations. 

2d,  It  reduces  and  strictly  defines  the  area  within  which  it  is 
necessary  to  require  visitors  to  conform  themselves  to  regula- 
tions of  a special  character,  and  desirable  that  they  should  be 
under  special  police  observation. 

3rd,  It  enables  the  park  authority  to  exclude  visitors  from 
the  enclosed  grounds  without  forcing  them  to  leave  the  park 
altogether,  the  outer  ground  offering  all  necessary  advantage  for 
air,  exercise  and  recreation  from  a short  time  after  sunset  till 
after  sunrise.  It  thus  brings  much  of  the  necessary  attendance 
upon  visitors  within  the  limits  of  a day’s  service,  so  that  within 
the  enclosed  ground  one  set  of  men  will  answer  for  it  instead 
of  two. 

4th,  It  makes  a much  greater  freedom  from  restraint  practi- 
cable on  greensward  play  grounds  than  could  be  permitted  with 
safety  if  they  were  surrounded  by  closely  planted  or  finely 
decorated  grounds. 


24 


5th,  It  simplifies  and  reduces  the  expense  of  keeping  the 
ground  in  order. 

Against  the  advantages  there  is  to  be  placed  the  necessity  of 
keeping  the  Open  Ground  very  well  lighted  and  patrolled  at 
night,  and  the  artistic  disadvantage  of  dispensing  with  under- 
wood within  its  borders.  The  latter  objection  is  of  less  weight 
in  this  case  than  it  would  be  if  the  distance  from  the  Green  to 
any  exterior  and  incongruous  objects  were  not  so  great. 

South  of  this  Open  Ground  lies  the  enclosed  district,  which 
we  have  designated  the  Upper  Plaisance. 

Adjoining  the  entrance  to  it  on  the  side  of  the  Pavilion,  a 
mall  will  be  observed  having  the  form  of  a hall  nearly  a quarter 
of  a mile  in  length,  out  of  which,  near  its  centre,  four  square 
apartments  open.  The  outlines  are  marked  by  rows  of  trees 
and  the  floor  is  of  gravel.  The  object  is  to  provide  a convenient 
open  air  rendezvous  and  assembly  ground  for  large  pic-nic 
parties  and  for  societies,  fraternities,  Sunday  school  and  other 
organizations,  and  also  to  supply  a suitable  ground  for  such 
plays  as  would  be  destructive  to  turf.  The  four  square  apart- 
ments are  also  designed  with  reference  to  entertainments  and 
exhibitions  in  which  the  use  of  stagings  or  platforms  may  be 
desirable,  as  in  the  festivals  of  the  Turners. 

Formal  lines  are  here  introduced  in  the  plan  because  the  same 
clear  space  of  shaded  ground  thus  bounded  will  be  more  com- 
modious and  will  admit  of  a greater  degree  of  freedom  of 
movement  when  occupied  by  a large  number  of  persons  than 
any  other.  Outside  of  the  lines  of  trees  other  trees  are  disposed 
irregularly,  so  that  the  formality  of  the  arrangement,  although 
so  conspicuous  on  the  paper  plan,  will  not  destroy  the  general 
naturalness  of  the  landscape  design  of  this  division  of  the  park. 

At  the  east  central  entrance  of  the  Mall  there  is  a descent 
to  a landing  on  the  Mere,  which  is  the  head  of  the  boating  water 
of  the  Park. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  Mere  there  is  a Paddock,  seven 
acres  in  extent,  for  deer.  These  will  appear  from  the  Mall  to  be 
free,  but  are  to  be  confined  by  an  under-water  fence,  as  it  is  not 
safe  for  deer  to  range  where  there  are  children. 


25 


The  walks  opening  southward  from  the  Mall  lead  into  a 
flower  garden  attached  to  which  are  shrubbery  walks,  sheltered 
seats,  and  balconies  over  the  water. 

The  northern  part  of  the  Mall  looks  eastwardly  upon  a lawn, 
the  edges  planted  with  shrubbery  and  divided  by  a knoll,  closely 
planted  with  trees  and  underwood,  from  the  Deer  Paddock. 

Still  further  to  the  east  the  lawn  merges  into  a large  glade 
of  turf  terminating  at  the  lower  part  on  the  Mere  near  the 
south-east  corner  of  the  Division. 

The  walks  leading  eastward  from  the  glade  pass  into  a region 
of  broken  ground,  designated  as  the  Eamble  on  the  plan,  to  be 
formed  by  excavating  deeply  for  the  walks  and  mounding  the 
material  thus  obtained  between  them.  It  is  to  be  planted 
thickly;  mostly  with  large  shrubs,  and  to  be  made  as  shady, 
sequestered  and  picturesque  in  the  character  of  its  details  as 
practicable.  It  will  be  desirable  that  a few  small  ledges  of  rock 
should  be  transferred  to  it,  and  ferns,  mosses  and  alpine  plants 
used  in  connection  with  them  but  only  in  a very  simple  and 
delicately  natural  manner.  It  is  also  to  be  finished  with  sub- 
stantial seats  and  arbors. 

The  outer  parts  of  the  Upper  Plaisance  on  each  side,  through 
which  the  drives  are  carried,  are  to  have  the  character  of  rather 
dense  natural  woods,  affording  an  agreeable  change  from  the 
Open  Ground. 

A stable  and  sheds  for  the  deer,  and  the  sheep  and  cows  to 
be  kept  in  the  Open,  for  the  birds  that  will  require  winter  pro- 
tection and  for  such  horses,  carts,  etc.,  as  may  be  required,  and 
a house  for  the  stock  keeper,  are  provided  in  the  enclosure, 
(named  the  Farmstead  Close  on  the  plan),  east  of  the  Deer 
Paddock. 

The  plan  of  the  Midway  Plaisance  is  shown  on  drawing  No. 
2.  The  earth  excavated  in  making  the  Basin  and  the  drives 
and  walks,  which  are  to  be  at  an  elevation  of  four  feet  only 
above  the  water,  is  to  be  mounded  as  naturally  as  possible  on 
each  side,  the  more  elevated  parts  being  generally  planted 
centrally  with  trees  and  in  front  with  shrubbery;  the  recesses, 


26 


which  will  he  glades  of  turf  with  a few  detached  groups  of 
shrubs,  will  reach  with  slightly  undulating  slope  nearly  or  quite 
to  the  side  walks  of  the  adjoining  streets. 

These  streets  are  proposed  to  be  widened  to  eighty-six  feet, 
ten  feet  of  which  would  be  taken  off  the  park  ground:  the 
side-walk  being  planted  with  a double  row  of  trees,  the  opposite 
houses  would  not  be  unpleasantly  conspicuous  from  the  water 
and  land  ways  of  the  Park. 

Three  streets  are  proposed  to  be  carried  across  the  Midway 
besides  those  at  its  end;  the  water-way,  carriage-way  and  walks 
of  the  park  system  passing  under  viaducts.  As  the  track  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railway  is  too  low  to  pass  under  with  car- 
riages, and  as  we  are  informed  by  the  Engineer  of  the  Company 
that  it  can  not  be  sufficiently  raised,  it  is  designed  to  be  arched 
over,  the  trains  upon  it  being  kept  out  of  view  by  a parapet  of 
earth  and  shrubbery. 

An  open  area,  designated  Midway  Place,  in  two  symmetrical 
parts,  connected  by  a bridge  over  the  Basin,  terminates  the 
Midway  Plaisance  on  the  east.  As  will  be  seen  on  drawing 
No.  3,  to  which  we  now  turn,  it  opens  to  the  right  upon  that 
division  of  the  closed  ground  which  we  have  designated  the 
Lagoon  Plaisance;  on  the  left,  upon  the  Lake  Open  Ground, 
and  looking  east,  commands  a view  over  the-  head  of  the 
Lagoon  through  a gradually  narrowing  perspective  of  points 
and  islands,  with  the  Lake  seen  through  a depression  of  the 
dunes  which  are  here  to  be  clothed  with  prostrate  shrubs. 

In  studying  the  general  arrangement  of  parts  in  the  Lower 
Division  we  have  already  shown  that  the  feature  of  most  con- 
trolling importance  is  the  Pier,  and  have  stated  the  considera- 
tions which  approximately  fix  its  position.  A natural  ridge, 
partly  wooded,  the  longitudinal  axis  of  which  is  nearly  at  right 
angles  with  the  coast  line,  indicates  the  most  desirable  course 
for  the  outlet  and  entrance  channel  and  consequently  establishes 
more  precisely  the  proper  place  for  the  Pier. 

We  suppose  that  a public  road  will  be  formed  along  the  beach 
beyond  the  park  limits,  each  way,  and  have  considered  that 


27 


when  the  region  south  of  the  east  half  of  the  Lagoon  Division 
of  the  Park  shall  have  become  populous,  a route  or  routes  of 
communication  between  it  and  the  north  side  of  the  Park  more 
direct  than  is  afforded  by  Hyde  Park  Avenue,  will  be  of  con- 
siderable importance,  and  also  that  access  from  it  to  the  boats 
running  between  the  Park  and  Chicago  river,  will  be  very 
desirable.  At  the  same  time  it  is  of  even  more  importance  that 
small  steamers  and  sail  boats  should  be  able  at  all  times  to 
make  a harbor  at  the  Park,  and  a drawbridge  at  the  harbor’s 
mouth  is  not  only  to  be  deprecated  on  account  of  its  inconven- 
ience, but  because  by  establishing  a harsh  and  conspicuous  line 
across  the  channel,  it  would  be  most  unfavorable  to  an  im- 
pression of  unity  between  the  Park  and  the  Lake. 

These  conflicting  objects  of  a continuous  shore  road  and  of  a 
harbor  opening  by  an  unbridged  channel  upon  the  Lake,  are 
as  far  as  possible  harmonized  by  a detour  of  the  shore  road, 
which  following  closely  the  bank  of  the  channel  and  the  Park 
Haven,  is  returned  upon  an  island  with  two  bridges  towards 
the  Lake  shore,  and  passes  out  of  the  Park  at  its  south  east 
corner.  A branch  road  leads  westerly  out  of  the  Park  from  the 
point  of  the  detour  furthest  from  the  Lake,  offering  a short-cut 
to  the  middle  parts  of  the  region  south  of  the  Park.  The  Park 
gates  and  fence  are  then  placed  west  of  this  branch  and  of  the 
shore  road  from  end  to  end,  so  that  they  may  always  be  left 
open,  together  Avith  the  harbour,  for  use  at  night.  A large 
Green  is  also  throAvn  out  at  the  north  end,  indicated  as  the 
Lakeopen  Green,  and  a smaller  Green  outside  of  the  harbour 
at  the  south  end,  the  latter  designated  the  Park  Haven  Green. 
These  are  intended  more  especially  for  ball  playing  and  other 
athletic  exercises,  and  each  is  provided  with  a lodge  for  dress- 
ing rooms  and  the  shelter  of  lookers-on  at  the  games.  The  whole 
is  adapted  like  the  Southopen  Ground,  to  be  lighted  and  left 
open  at  night. 

The  Lakeopen  Green  is  at  the  nearest  point  of  this  division 
of  the  park  to  the  toAvn  and  is  entered  directly  from  a station 
of  the  Illinois  Central  and  Michigan  Central  railways.  Visitors 
taking  this  way  out  may  be  engaged  in  ball  playing  or  floating 


28 


on  the  Lagoon  within  half  an  hour  after  they  have  left  a school 
house,  an  office  or  a shop  in  the  midst  of  the  city.  In  London 
excursion  trains  frequently  take  over  fifty  thousand  people  an 
hour  to  or  from  the  Crystal  Palace  Park  at  Sydenham,  at  a 
charge  of  a penny  a mile. 

As  the  water  of  the  Lagoon  will  probably  be  much  warmer 
than  that  of  the  Lake,  it  is  suggested  that  arrangements  for 
bathing  and  swimming  in  the  north  bay  should  be  made  at  the 
house  indicated  in  the  plan  opposite  the  Lakeopen  Green. 

Within  the  Lakeopen  Ground  there  are  two  places  especially 
adapted  to  large  assemblies,  one  at  the  Pier,  the  other  on  the 
lake  shore  in  front  of  the  Park  Haven  Green.  The  latter  is  in 
the  form  of  a terrace  and  gives  the  outer  position  to  carriages. 
On  the  Pier  a broad  walking  space  is  arranged  outside  of  the 
carriage  Concourse,  and  from  the  solid  pier  which  extends  250 
feet  outward  from  the  present  shore  line,  a narrower  open  work 
pier  is  proposed,  to  eventually  extend  to  a block  about  a thou- 
sand feet  further  out. 

Immediately  behind  the  Concourse  on  the  Pier  a large  build- 
ing will  be  observed,  designated  the  Belvedere,  which  would  be 
the  principal  refectory  of  this  Division  of  the  Park.  It  fronts 
on  one  side  upon  the  Lake,  on  the  other  upon  a lawn  which 
slopes  to  a bay  opening  upon  the  middle  of  the  Lagoon,  opposite 
which  is  a cluster  of  islands  in  a wooded  cove.  An  elevated  out- 
look is  intended  to  be  here  provided  for,  and  this  suggests  the 
name  of  the  building. 

The  Belvedere  lawn,  which  is  within  the  Lagoon  Plaisance, 
and  would  be  entered  from  the  Belvedere  by  doors  closed  at 
night,  extends  on  the  south  to  the  central  feature  of  this 
division  of  the  plan,  a Promenade  Concert  Ground  upon  a Ter- 
race formally  planted.  The  Park  gate  being  open  at  the  head 
of  the  harbour,  carriages  pass  readily  south  of  the  lawn  to  the 
Concourse  south  of  the  Terrace  platform,  the  trees  upon  which 
are  arranged  with  reference  to  the  view  northward,  which  ex- 
tends through  a long  vista  formed  by  narrows  of  the  Lagoon ; 
the  vista  point  being  a Kiosk,  seen  beyond  a bridge,  at  the 


29 


head  of  the  South  Bay.  The  Orchestra  is  to  be  stationed  upon 
a small  island,  and  the  music,  floating  over  the  water,  will  reach 
the  Pic-nic  woods  on  the  west  and  the  walks  upon  the  Belve- 
dere lawn  on  the  east,  as  well  as  the  terrace,  where  the  principal 
part  of  the  audience,  both  on  foot  and  in  carriages,  is  expected  to 
assemble.  The  correspondence  of  the  principal  features  of  the 
plan  from  the  Pier  to  the  Lagoon  Terrace  with  the  require- 
ments developed  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  Report,  will  be 
evident. 

The  Pic-nic  district  above  referred  to  includes  the  best  of  the 
woods  now  growing  upon  the  grounds.  It  is  to  be  further 
planted  in  groups  and  open  groves  and  near  the  water  with 
underwood,  and  fitted  with  swings  and  other  means  of  amuse- 
ment. A cottage  with  separate  accommodations  and  attendance 
for  men  and  women  and  several  shelters  or  summer  houses 
looking  upon  the  Lagoon  will  also  be  observed.  There  are  open 
glades  for  croquet  parties  and  children’s  dances.  Further  to  the 
southward  there  are  shaded  drives  and  walks  through  deeper 
woods. 

There  is  a Quay  on  the  Park  Haven  for  steamboats  and 
masted  boats  that  cannot  pass  the  bridges,  and  at  different 
points  on  the  Lagoon  nine  boat  landings,  to  each  of  which  a 
sheltered  seat  is  attached.  A number  of  other  sites  are  indi- 
cated for  shelters  and  bowers,  and  balconies  over  the  water. 

It  will  be  observed  that  there  are  numerous  islands  without 
boat  landings  ; some  of  these  are  intended  to  be  specially  pro- 
tected against  the  approach  of  boats  by  flat,  rushy  shores,  the 
object  being  to  provide  entirely  isolated  and  sequestered  coverts 
as  breeding  places  for  birds.  The  Lagoon  is  intended  to  be 
abundantly  stocked  with  all  water  fowl  that  will  endure  the 
climate,  and  your  Commission  is  recommended  to  take  early 
measures  to  procure  and  domesticate  the  American  swan  and 
other  fine  birds  of  the  upper  lakes  and  of  the  far  West. 

The  increase  of  such  birds  will  be  in  request  for  the  Zoological 
Gardens  and  private  parks  of  Europe,  and  black  swans  or  other 
rare  and  beautiful  birds  of  Asia,  Australia,  and  the  Antarctic 
regions  would  be  gladly  exchanged  for  them.  The  bleak  and 


30 


humid  situation  of  Chicago  is  most  unfavorable  for  general 
Zoological  or  Botanical  gardens,  but  in  Ornithology  a better 
living  collection  could  very  soon  be  established  in  your  ground 
than  now  exists  in  the  world.  Th  complete  success  of  the  recent 
attempt  to  naturalize  the  English  sparrow,  of  which  thousands 
are  now  propagated  every  year  in  the  New  York  and  Brooklyn 
parks,  and  which  has  completely  relieved  those  cities  and  their 
suburbs  of  a serious  nuisance,  indicates  that  a little  enterprise 
in  this  direction  might  be  expected  to  accomplish  results  of  great 
interest.  The  naturalization  of  some  of  the  common  song  birds 
of  the  north  of  Europe,  which  would  be  a delightful  acquisition, 
is  probably  quite  feasible  and  the  process  would  not  be  expensive 
if  undertaken  in  connection  with  a general  aviary  establishment. 

If  a voluntary  organization  should  be  formed  for  this  pur- 
pose of  sufficient,  strength,  the  exclusive  use  might  be  given  it 
of  all  desirable  ground  for  breeding  purposes,  together  with 
the  privilege  of  establishing  a museum  and  convenient  offices 
in  the  park,  proper  guarantees  of  public  benefit  being  agreed 
upon.  The  Ornithological  Society  of  London  is  thus  accom- 
modated in  St.  James’s  Park.  If  desired,  inconspicuous  ar- 
rangements may  also  be  studied  out  on  the  Lower  Division  of 
the  Park  for  special  classes  of  animals  to  which  the  circum- 
stances would  be  congenial,  as  Bisons,  Elks,  Bears;  or  amphib- 
ians, as  Seals  and  Sea  Lions;  the  general  rule  being  observed, 
to  admit  nothing  in  the  management  of  which  a distinguished 
success,  without  sacrifice  of  matters  of  more  primary  interest, 
cannot  be  confidently  expected.  No  bird  or  animal  should  be 
allowed  in  the  Park  which  will  not  surely  be  healthy  and 
happy  in  it. 

The  manner  in  which  the  water  is  disposed  in  all  of . the 
Lower  Division  is  such  that  except  at  a few  narrow  points  of 
connection,  it  occupies  only  a part  of  the  ground  which  is 
now  flooded  or  liable  to  be  so  when  the  Lake  is  highest.  The 
water  surface  of  the  Lagoon  will  be  165  acres  in  extent  at 
ordinary  summer  level.  An  excavation  sufficient  to  give  a gen- 
eral depth  of  6 feet,  with  slopes  of  6 to  1,  will  yield  about 
1,300,000  yards  of  material.  This  will  be  sufficient  to  add 
about  2 feet  to  the  general  elevation  of  the  rest  of  the  Division. 


31 


We  suppose  that  2 to  4 inches  of  clay,  brought  from  without 
will  be  mixed  with  this  to  give  trees  a better  support.  The 
surface  of  most  of  the  land  will  then  lie  from  4 to  4J  feet 
above  the  highest  ordinary,  and  2 to  above  the  occasional  ex- 
traordinary summer  level  of  the  Lake.  A less  general  elevation 
than  this  could  not,  in  our  judgment,  be  made  agreeable  to 
the  eye,  nor  would  it  be  wholesome  for  any  but  a few  aquatic 
trees. 

The  outlines  of  the  shores  of  the  Lagoon  may  at  first  sight 
seem  to  be  unduly  complicated,  but  the  introduction  of  nu- 
merous points  and  narrow  islands  is  here  demanded  by  consid- 
erations of  cost  as  much  as  by  fidelity  to  the  type  of  natural 
scenery  which  is  had  in  view. 

The  same  water  level  is  designed  to  be  carried  through  the 
Midway  Basins  to  the  Mere,  and  economy  will  probably  require 
that  the  excavation  of  the  Lagoon  shall  precede  that  of  the 
Midway  Basin,  the  Basin  that  of  the  Mere,  and  the  Mere 
the  shaping  of  the  surface  generally  of  the  Upper  Plaisance. 
The  depth  of  water  in  the  Midway,  should  also  be  at  least  6 
feet,  in  summer,  or  there  will  be  trouble  with  water  plants. 
It  will  then  fall  everywhere  to  4 during  the  skating  season. 

If  it  were  not  for  the  experience  of  other  cities  where  the 
cost  of  forming  parks  has  been  more  than  met  by  the  increased 
taxable  valuation  of  real  estate  benefited  by  them,  and  for 
the  rise  in  the  value  of  certain  property  which  has  already  ac- 
crued on  account  of  the  South  Park  undertaking,  the  excavation 
for  water  required  by  the  plan  would  probably  be  thought  too 
costly  to  be  soon  entered  upon.  Even  as  it  is,  it  may  be  ques- 
tioned whether  the  delay  which  will  be  involved  by  it  ,m  meet- 
ing the  expectations  upon  which  the  present  value  of  property 
depends,  will  not,  after  a time,  be  so  disappointing  as  to  render 
advisable  some  different  plan  of  dealing  with  the  Middle  and 
Upper  Divisions,  dispensing  with  the  water  connection,  and 
giving  the  public  the  use  of  the  ground  sooner  in  a finished 
condition. 

We  shall  give  some  reasons  for  thinking  that  nothing  would 
really  be  gained  by  such  a course. 


32 


The  expectations  upon  which  the  rise  in  the  value  of  real 
estate  has  depended  and  will  depend,  are  partly  of  a definite 
and  partly  of  a very  indefinite  character.  A few  years  ago  the 
district  more  especially  affected  by  the  undertaking  of  the  South 
Park  wTas  commonly  regarded  as  waste  land  and  as  hardly  sus- 
ceptible of  much  improvement.  Whatever  change  has  occurred 
in  the  public  judgment  in  this  respect  is  due,  in  the  first  place, 
to  the  results  of  private  enterprise  by  which  it  has  been  proved 
that  it  can  generally  be  relieved  of  surface  water,  be  clothed  with 
fine  greensward,  and  that  trees  can,  up  to  a certain  point  at 
least,  he  made  to  flourish  upon  it.  These  experiments  give 
definite  and  tangible  ground  of  expectation  as  to  its  future. 
But  beyond  this,  secondly,  there  is  a blind  faith  that  your  Com- 
mission, having  larger  proportionate  means  at  command,  and 
being  able  to  direct  a business-like  study  to  the  question  of  the 
possibilities  of  improvement,  will  find  a way  to  do  more  on  a 
large  scale  than  private  enterprise  has  yet  done  even  on  a 
small  scale.  Suppose,  then,  that  after  several  years  work,  a 
finish  shall  have  been  given  to  the  whole  of  the  Upper  and 
Middle  Divisions,  but  that  the  character  of  this  finish  does  not 
vary  materially  from  that  of  the  adjoining  door  yards  as  they 
are  now  seen,  the  improvements  by  drainage,  manuring,  green- 
sward and  tree  planting  having  been  essentially  the  same.  The 
result  would  be  that  nothing  more  would  be  found  in  the 
Park  than  the  realization  of  the  defined  and  experimentally 
grounded  expectations  of  the  present,  and  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  this  w'ould  not  really  be  somewhat  disappointing. 

But  suppose,  on  the  other  hand  that,  with  less  extent  ci 
superficial  finish,  it  should  be  evident  that  the  operations  in 
progress  were  to  result  in  much  more  substantial  far-reaching 
improvements  than  had  been  definitely  imagined — improve- 
ments of  a really  organic  character,  directly  affecting  the  whole 
region — it  is  clear  that  it  would  not  only  satisfy,  but  induce  a 
strong  advance  upon,  present  expectations. 

The.  great  increase  in  the  value  of  real  estate  produced 
by  the  construction  of  the  New  York  park  did  not  begin 
until  sometime  after  it  was  commenced,  nor  until  the  public 
began  to  see  that  the  ground  had  much  greater  capabilities 


33 


than  had  at  first  been  imagined.  The  President  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Park  Commission,  in  a public  address  two  years  ago,  quot- 
ing a statement  that  the  opening  of  a small  part  of  the  park 
the  previous  year  had  caused  an  advance  of  real  estate  in  that 
city  to  the  amount  of  ten  millions  of  dollars,  observed  that  it 
was  not  because  the  public  then  first  realized  that  the  city  was 
to  have  a park,  but  because  the  character  of  the  first  improve- 
ments which  had  been  made  for  the  purpose  really  advanced  the 
rank  of  the  city  in  the  public  estimation  and  suddenly  caused 
a new  class  of  expectations  to  be  formed  of  its  future. 

Looking  again  at  the  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia  parks,  the 
natural  advantages  of  the  sites  of  which  are  much  greater  than 
those  possessed  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and  where  the 
improvements  thus  far  made  though  quite  extensive,  have  been 
of  a more  superficial  and  commonplace  class,  we  find  that  they 
have  produced  no  very  extraordinary  increase  of  value  in  neigh- 
boring real  estate. 

Among  the  advantages  of  the  plan  we  propose,  which  would 
be  permanent ly  barred  by  the  substitution  for  it  of  any  plan 
which  could  be  executed  very  much  more  cheaply  and  quickly, 
are  the  following: 

First.  It  secures  a deep  thorough  drainage  of  the  Upper 
and  Middle  Divisions,  and  thus  adds  greatly  to  the  chances 
of  making  trees  flourish  upon  them. 

Second.  It  locks  the  three  divisions  of  the  Park  into  one 
obvious  system,  so  that  their  really  disjointed  character  will 
be  much  less  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  observers  passing 
through  them  than  would  be  the  case  if  the  connecting  ele- 
ment of  a common  body  of  water  were  lacking. 

Third.  It  practically  places  the  Upper  or  Inland  Division 
of  the  Park  upon  a navigable  arm  of  Lake  Michigan  and  thus 
makes  it  accessible  by  boats  from  the  heart  of  the  commercial 
part  of  the  city.  The  aquatic  character  of  the  Park  will  thus 
be  more  remarkable.  It  will  also  be  an  advantage  that  the  water 
fowl  and  fish  may  swim  freely  between  the  Upper  Plaisance  and 
the  Lake.  The  skating  advantage  is  also  obvious. 


34 


Fourth.  It  offers  to  those  coming  by  rail,  in  public  car- 
riages, or  on  foot,  a means  of  traveling  through  nearly  all  parts 
of  the  Park  quietly,  agreeably  and  without  fatigue,  and  by  a 
method  much  less  expensive  than  that  of  wheeled  carriages. 
This  will  be  of  great  value  to  invalids,  convalescents,  and 
mothers  with  children  in  arms.  There  is  a very  limited  extent 
of  water  in  the  New  York  Park,  yet  it  is  found  that  from  four 
to  six  thousand  persons  use  the  small  boats  daily,  in  fine 
weather,  and  at  a charge  of  ten  cents  they  yield  a satisfactory 
profit. 

Fifth.  The  material  excavated  from  the  Basins  and  Mere 
will,  if  skillfully  used  upon  the  banks,  overcome,  to  a certain 
extent,  the  chief  landscape  defect  of  all  the  Chicago  pleasure 
grounds,  namely,  their  nearly  level  surface.  Presuming  that 
the  work  will  be  done  by  steam  dredges,  in  no  other  way  can 
so  considerable  an  improvement  in  this  respect  be  made  as 
cheaply.  Here,  therefore,  if  anywhere,  the  city  can  afford  a lit- 
tle luxury  in  undulation. 

Sixth.  By  -offering  upon  the  Midway  and  Upper  Plaisances 
to  the  view  of  those  who  come  to  the  Park  in  boats  a shore  with, 
generally,  much  higher  banks  than  it  will  be  practicable  to  form 
upon  the  Lagoon,  the  value  of  the  boating  privileges  of  the 
Park,  and  consequently  of  its  Lake  approach,  will  be  greatly 
increased. 

Seventh.  The  incidental  effect  of  this  operation  upon  all 
the  country  surrounding  the  Park  as  well  as  that  within  it  will 
be  most  valuable.  It  will  gradually  bring  about  a change  in 
its  character  equivalent  to  that  which  would  be  gained  by  lift- 
ing its  surface  several  feet  above  its  present  level.  It  will 
make  gardens  practicable  where  otherwise  nothing  but  swamp 
plants  will  grow.  It  will  at  once  make  a considerable  dis- 
trict suitable  for  residences  which  will  otherwise  remain  not 
only  unwholesome  for  that  purpose  within  itself,  but  a source 
of  ill  health  to  others  until  a costly  system  of  sewers  has  been 
constructed.  In  connection  with  the  better  growth  of  trees 
which  will  result,  the  climate  of  the  whole  south  part  of  the 
city  will  be  essentially  improved  by  it,  so  much  so,  for  instance, 


35 


that  there  will  be  appreciably  less  liability  to  rheumatic  and 
pulmonary  complaints  and  the  epidemics  of  children. 

In  view  of  the  advantages  thus  promised,  it  would,  in  our 
judgment,  be  prudent  and  politic  to  enter  at  once  upon  the 
necessary  works,  even  though,  to  carry  them  on,  all  other  im- 
provements had  to  be  postponed  until  they  were  completed. 
We  judge,  however,  that  this  would  not  be  at  all  necessary. 
The  process  of  excavation  and  embankment  should  be  mainly 
by  steam  apparatus,  and  when  once  begun  should  go  steadily 
on  at  a nearly  regular  per  diem  rate,  otherwise  idle  capital 
would  be  charged  upon  the  Park.  The  total  amount  of  the 
outlay  which  would  thus  be  required  per  annum,  would  not,  we 
suppose,  exhaust  your  resources.  The  construction  of  the  South- 
open  Ground  being  an  undertaking  by  itself,  need  wait  for  noth- 
ing. It  nowhere  involves  very  heavy  work,  and  the  chief  need 
for  discretion  will  be  in  regard  to  the  means  and  methods 
to  be  used  for  improving  the  soil.  We  should  recommend  that 
the  outer  parts  be  dressed  heavily  with  soil,  clay,  and  well-rotted 
manure,  and  trees  planted  of  much  larger  size  than  we  should 
advise  to  be  used  under  other  circumstances,  but  that  for  the 
sake  of  economy  the  Green  should  be  improved  more  slowly 
by  the  process  already  suggested.  Before  it  was  ready  to  be 
seeded  for  turf  the  Pavilion  might  be  built,  and  the  grove 
to  the  north  of  it  being  fitted  up  as  a temporary  pic-nic  ground, 
it  would  probably  be  found  at  once  a source  of  income  equiva- 
lent to  the  interest  on  its  cost. 

At  the  same  time  the  Park  Haven  pier  should  be  built  and 
there  would  be  nothing  in  the  way  of  the  construction  of  the 
shore  road,  the  Concourse  on  the  Pier,  and  the  Belvedere.  By 
the  time  these  had  been  completed,  the  dredging  would  be  so 
far  advanced  that  boats  could  run  from  the  city  into  the  harbor 
and  finishing  operations  could  be  begun  on  the  Belvedere  lawn 
and  other  parts  of  the  interior  Park. 

We  make  these  suggestions  as  to  the  course  of  operations 
simply  to  show  that  if  the  construction  of  the  Lagoon  and 
Midway  Basin  should  be  immediately  undertaken,  it  would 
not  necessarily  involve  a delay  in  making  the  Park  fully  avail- 
able in  certain  important  particulars  for  public  use. 


36 


In  speaking  of  the  depth  of  the  Lagoon,  and  generally  in  re- 
ferring to  the  depth  of  excavations,  we  have  had  in  view  the 
minimum  requirements  of  the  plan.  It  is  to  be  expected  that 
roads  and  walks  throughout  the  Park  will  generally  be  graded 
as  low  as  shall  be  consistent  with  efficient  drainage,  and  a 
graceful  continuity  of  parts,  and  by  this  means  material  will 
he  obtained  for  a slight  modulation  of  adjoining  surfaces. 
By  the  occasional  introduction  in  the  shores  of  a surface^  but 
a few  inches  above  high  water  level,  and  in  which  only  rushes 
and  water  plants  will  grow,  the  average  elevation  of  the  tilled 
ground  may  be  made  higher  at  other  points,  and  a variety 
attained  altogether  desirable.  Adjoining  the  basin  and  the 
Mere,  occasional  elevations  of  at  least  twenty  feet  can  be  easily 
managed  with  long  flowing  contours  and  without  any  appearance 
of  being  artificially  mounded.  The  excavation  of  two  feet, 
which  we  have  before  said  is  required  in  the  Southopen  Ground, 
and  which  should  be  extended  from  the  central  point  in  long 
shallow  depressions  to  the  north-east  and  north-west,  and  io  the 
south-west  beyond  the  Pool,  together  with  the  deeper  excavation 
required  for  the  Pool  itself,  will  yield  sufficient  material  to  give 
a perceptible  play  of  surface  upon  the  lower  part  of  the  South- 
open  Green,  and  in  grading  the  drives  and  walks  something 
may  be  cheaply  added. 

By  slight  and  inexpensive  changes  of  the  surface,  such  as 
we  have  thus  advised,  provided  always  that  trees  of  a satis- 
factory character  can  he  insured,  the  scenery  of  this  part  of 
the  Park  may  be  rendered  appropriate  and  pleasing.  We  do 
not  say  that  it  would  under  no  circumstances  he  desirable  to 
vary  the  surface  much  more,  but  only  that  it  is  not  indispensable 
to  do  so,  and  as  any  considerably  increased  modulation  beyond 
what  we  have  indicated,  would  be  expensive,  the  question  of 
undertaking  it  may  he  regarded  as  one  of  detail,  to  be  deter- 
mined when  necessary  with  fair  consideration  of  resources  which 
shall  then  be  available. 

If  it  could  be  afforded,  for  instance,  it  would  be  desirable 
to  form  an  irregular  depression  extending  from  the  vicinity  of 
the  Pool  through  the  Glade  to  the  Mere  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Upper  Plaisance,  its  depth  being  sufficient  to  disclose  the 


37 


Mere  at  this  point  to  view  from  the  north-western  part  of  the 
Green.  The  material  obtained  would  be  used  chiefly  to  elevate 
the  E amble  district.  The  drive  east  of  this  may  have  consid- 
erable depression  and  the  material  thus  obtained  should  be 
chiefly  used  to  elevate  the  surface  still  further  to  the  eastward. 

The  shores  of  the  Mere,  the  swells  of  the  Midway  slopes  and 
the  points  and  islands  of  the  Lagoon  could  generally  be  in- 
creased several  feet  in  height  beyond  what  will  be  convenient 
with  the  material  provided  for,  by  increasing  the  proposed  depth 
of  the  excavation  for  water.  There  will  be  a decided  advantage 
in  all  such  increase  and  no  disadvantage,  except  that  of  cost, 
which  within  desirable  limits  will  not  at  all  advance  with  the 
depth  the  dredging  machine  is  required  to  work. 

The  consideration  hereafter  of  what  can  be  afforded  in  this 
way  will  perhaps  be  affected  favorably  to  larger  operations  than 
we  have  spoken  of  as  absolutely  necessary  by  the  adoption  of  a 
temporizing  policy  wherever  it  can  be  applied  without  entailing 
permanent  defects  upon  the  Park.  You  have  for  instance  a 
great  extent  of  woods  and  walks  upon  your  plan.  It  is  very 
important  that  all  of  these' should  be  laid  out,  and  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  plantations  should  be  constantly  regarded  as  if 
in  existence,  but  it  is  entirely  unnecessary  for  this  purpose  that 
finely  constructed  wheel  and  foot  ways,  of  full  width  and 
adapted  to  use  in  all  weathers,  should  be  formed  within  their 
outlines.  The  way  being  left  open,  this  part  of  the  work  can  be 
postponed  until  required  by  the  immediate  convenience  of  the 
public.  The  character  of  your  ground  is  very  favorable  to 
such  a course.  Again,  you  have  a cheap  lumber  market,  and 
if  such  buildings,  bridges  and  fences  as  are  at  once  required  for 
the  public  accommodation  should  be  built  of  wood,  no  oppor- 
tunity would  have  been  lost  and  little  expenditure  would  have 
been  wasted,  if,  when  they  were  found  decaying  or  inadequate, 
it  should  be  decided  to  supplant  them  with  structures  of  greater 
dignity  and  permanence. 

On  the  other  hand,  if,  before  making  your  plantations,  you 
should  neglect  to  take  every  practicable  precaution  to  secure 
the  constant,  vigorous  growth  and  health  of  the  trees,  the 


38 


defect  which  you  will  have  fastened  upon  the  Park,  is  one 
which,  by  no  subsequent  liberality,  can  be  made  good.  A 
temporizing  policy  in  this  direction,  therefore,  would  be  most 
disloyal  to  the  Future,  which  you  are  bound  first  of  all  to  be 
faithful  to. 

As  grading  operations  must  be  essentially  complete  before 
the  preparation  of  surfaces  for  planting  can  be  begun,  we 
would  again,  therefore,  most  earnestly  press  the  consideration 
upon  you  that  a comparatively  small  body  of  vigorous,  well  de- 
veloped trees,  will  in  a few  years,  produce  more  elevated  sky 
lines,  more  apparent  variety  of  surface,  and  give  greater  satis- 
faction than  can  be  obtained  by  the  expenditure  of  millions  in 
heaping  up  earth.  Consequently,  however  desirable  a little 
more  play  of  surface  may  be,  it  is  of  much  less  consequence 
than  that  all  available  means  should  be  used  for  developing  the 
highest  horticultural  capabilities  of  your  ground. 

It  only  remains  for  us  to  refer  to  some  suggestions  which 
we  have  offered  in  the  plan,  in  regard  to  approaches  and  ex- 
terior streets. 

The  important  line  of  communication  which  we  call  the 
Southopen  Parkway,  does  not,  at  present,  connect  properly  with 
the  Southopen  Ground,  but  it  may  be  made  to  do  so  by  the 
acquisition  on  the  part  of  your  Commission,  of  a comparatively 
small  piece  of  land,  and  we  have  therefore  thought  it  desir- 
able to  show  on  our  design  how  a satisfactory  adjustment  may 
thus  be  arrived  at. 

The  difficulty  in  regard  to  the  Southgrove  Parkway,  as  at 
present  laid  down  on  the  maps,  is  of  a more  serious  character. 
It  turns  abruptly  at  right  angles,  a few  hundred  feet  away  from 
the  Park,  and  the  actual  provision  for  entrance  when  it  reaches 
its  extreme  corner,  is  so  wholly  inadequate  that  some  consider- 
able improvement  will  inevitably  be  required. 

A close  study  of  all  the  circumstances  of  this  case,  has  led 
us  to  avoid  any  attempt  to  solve  the  difficulty  by  direct  addition 
to  the  Park  territory,  and  we  have  been  led  to  think  on  the  other 
hand  that  the  necessary  improvement  should  be  made  in  the 


39 


form  of  an  extension  of  the  Parkway  on  a scale  commensurate 
with  the  importance  of  its  position  and  having  a marked  artistic 
character  of  its  own. 

About  fifty  years  ago  the  Quadrant  leading  from  Pall  Mall 
to  Regent  Street  was  made  one  of  the  finest  thoroughfares  in 
London.  No  such  connection  had  been  originally  contemplated, 
but  the  demand  for  some  adequate  means  of  communication  in 
this  direction  having  become  imperative,  the  new  street  was  at 
length  cut  through  a quarter  of  the  city  that  had  been  solidly 
built  up  with  expensive  structures.  We  suggest  the  adoption  of 
a somewhat  similar  expedient  in  your  case,  before  any  houses 
are  erected  in  the  neighborhood,  and  if  the  Parkway  Quadrant 
can  be  carried  out  as  shown  on  our  Plan,  the  curved  line  of 
approach  will,  we  think,  have  a sufficiently  bold  sweep  to  be 
easy  and  agreeable  in  connection  with  the  long,  straight  line  of 
the  Southgrove  Parkway,  and  the  main  Park  entrance  to  which 
it  leads  will  be  relieved  of  any  appearance  of  awkwardness. 

An  unusual  volume  of  traffic  will  naturally  be  accumulated  on 
the  boundary  streets  of  the  Park,  and  we  propose,  for  this 
reason,  and  also  to  improve  their  promenade  character,  that 
they  should  be  somewhat  widened  on  each  side  of  the  present 
centre  line.  The  suggestion  to  increase  the  width  of  two  of 
these  streets  to  eighty-six  feet,  has  been  already  referred  to,  and 
the  others  should,  we  think,  be  at  least  a hundred  feet  wide,  and 
their  walks  on  the  Park  side  continuously  shaded.  Improvements 
of  this  character  are  almost  invariably  called  for  sooner  or  later 
in  the  vicinity  of  urban  parks,  and  their  costliness  increases 
with  every  year  they  are  postponed.  We  have  seen  many  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  saved  in  a few  years  by  prompt  action 
on  similar  advices  in  other  cases,  and  many  more  lost  by  in- 
attention to  it. 

In  the  progress  of  a public  improvement  like  that  of  the 
Chicago  South  Park,  undertaken  with  so  much  reference  to  the 
distant  future  as  its  justification  necessarily  predicates,  and  the 
completion  of  which,  in  all  its  parts,  must  be  so  far  off,  the 
introduction  of  subsidiary  elements  of  design  of  greater  or  less 
importance  will  undoubtedly  from  time  to  time  be  proposed. 


40 


It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  a plan  will  be  made  at  the  outset 
so  complete,  that  no  additions  to  it  or  modifications  of  it  in 
detail  will  be  admissable,  but  it  is  of  the  utmost  consequence 
that  the  essential  ends  should  be  clearly  seen  before  the  work 
is  organized,  and  that  from  the  moment  it  begins  to  the  end, 
be  that  five  or  fifty  years  hence,  and  under  whatever  changes 
of  administration  and  changes  of  fashion,  these  great  ruling 
ends  should  be  pursued  with  absolute  consistency.  Work  of  the 
character  designed  constantly  requires  ability  of  high  order  in 
its  supervision,  and  it  is  undesirable  that  the  exercise  of  this 
ability  should  be  hampered  by  unnecessarily  specific  instructions. 

Under  the  influence  of  these  considerations  our  object  has 
been  simply  to  develop  a series  of  the  most  desirable  features 
practicable  of  realization  under  the  very  peculiar  conditions 
of  your  site  and  circumstances,  and  we  have  endeavored  to  carry 
the  design  of  these  only  so  far  as  to  establish  the  characteristic 
end  of  each,  whether  it  be  an  artistic  effect  on  the  imagination 
or  simply  an  accommodation  for  convenience  and  comfort. 

The  plan  having,  after  due  deliberation,  been  adopted  as 
the  constitutional  law  of  the  park  construction,  no  proposition 
involving  change  or  addition  in  any  locality,  should  be  enter- 
tained, however  attractive  in  itself,  which  is  not  harmonious 
with  the  purpose  intended  to  rule  in  that  locality.  All  propo- 
sitions on  the  other  hand,  intelligently  designed  to  strengthen 
and  emphasize  its  main  purposes,  may  be  heartily  welcomed, 
and  their  adoption  be  simply  a question  of  practical  business 
expediency. 

Trusting  that  the  plan  which  we  have  now  presented  may 
meet  with  your  approval  and  that  time  will  justify  the  confi- 
dence with  which  you  have  honored  us. 

We  remain,  gentlemen, 

Yours  respectfully, 


March,  1871. 


OLMSTED,  YAUX  & CO., 
Landscape  Architects. 


41 


CHICAGO  SOUTH  PARK 

AREAS  AND  DISTANCES 


The  Park  with  its  outer  Promenades  contains 1,055  acres. 

The  Upper  Division  372  “ 

The  Midway  Division  90  “ 

The  Lower  or  Lagoon  Division  593  “ 

The  Sonthopen  Ground  191  “ 


The  Southopen  Green,  within  the  circuit  drive.  . . . 100 

The  Pavilion  Ground  7 

The  Pavilion,  (Refectory,  Courts,  Garden  and  Gal- 


leries,)   2 “ 

The  Pavilion  Concourse 3 “ 

The  Upper  Plaisance  137  “ 

The  Deer  Paddock  7 “ 

The  Farmstead  Close  . . . 4 “ 

The  Mere  11  “ 

The  Midway  Basin  14  “ 

The  Midway  Place  4 “ 

The  Lakcopen  Ground  • 270  “ 

The  Lakeopen  Green 26  “ 

The  Park  Haven  Green 9 “ 

The  Belvedere  Concourse  3 “ 

The  Lake  Terrace  3 “ 

The  Lagoon  Plaisance 320  “ 

The  Lagoon  165  “ 

The  Lagoon  Terrace 2 “ 

The  Lagoon  Concourse 2 

The  length  of  the  Interior  Drives  is 14  miles. 

The  length  of  the  Walks  30  “ 

The  length  of  the  Mall  ^ 1-5  “ 

The  length  of  the  Midway  . 1 “ 

Length  of  front  on  Lake  Michigan 1 6-10  “ 


